This invention relates to improved sheet feeding apparatuses and to reproducing apparatuses using them.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,803 to Stange, a friction retard separator of unique design is described. This separator has proved to be a highly reliable means for feeding individual sheets one at a time from the stack. It is disclosed to be useful for both top feeders and bottom feeders. A wide variety of approaches to mounting the separator are described including a pivotal mounting which allows the separator to pivot against the stack as the stack depletes. In the disclosed separator a feed belt is supported for movement about a pair of pulleys. A curved retard means is positioned against an unsupported section of the belt between the pulleys to form a sheet queing throat. The belt contacts the stack near the leading edge and the throat acts to que or align the sheets for advancement into a sheet handling system.
A variety of patents have been identified dealing with various paper stack support drawer arrangements. Exemplary of these patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,499,745; 3,563,535; 3,630,516; 3,672,665; and 3,689,064.
In U.S. application Ser. No. 398,024, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,133 to Rebres, filed Sept. 17, 1973, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, a paper feeder and drawer arrangement similar in some respects to that employed commercially in the Xerox 6500 copier is described. In this arrangement a roll type friction retard separator is extended from the machine along with the drawer for reloading, and a make-brake drive connection is provided between the separator and a drive means. In this arrangement the stack supporting platform is cammed out of engagement with the feed roll.
In U.S. application Ser. No. 342,653, filed Mar. 19, 1973, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,113 and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention a belt type friction retard separator for a bottom feeder is disclosed wherein the length of the belt which contacts the lead edge of the stack is extended to provide a greater degree of frictional contact between the belt and the bottom of the stack.